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We're Open: North Kansas City distiller, Benay Shannon, making hand sanitizer for nonprofits

duffy's defense hand sanitizer restless spirits distilling.jpg
Posted at 12:57 PM, Mar 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-18 13:59:43-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Benay Shannon distills whiskey, gin, and more at Restless Spirits in North Kansas City, but amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she is creating hand sanitizer too.

Shannon said she is answering the call after a few local nonprofits reached out and asked her to make the sanitizer.

The distiller is also a chemist and former high school science teacher, so she is no stranger to the lab.

“I thought 'Well, I guess this is just as good a time as any to get into it,' so I just started figuring it out. Right now it is just experimenting with different things trying to come up with the best formula,” Shannon said.

She said she is donating the hand sanitizer, which she makes using neutral spirits .

The end product is 63% alcohol, which she said meets the CDC recommendations.

Shannon said she is now experimenting with different scents like lavender.